"We'll catch up with the A-league news a little later on, perhaps," he said.

The breakfast team later clarified that Austin was fine and had suffered from a panic attack.

"I think that he just blanked and then had a bit of a panic attack, but he's OK," Tunny later told viewers. "We had a good chat outside of the studio, so he is all fine and set to star in Melbourne Victory's season opener in the grand final replay against Sydney this weekend."

Soccer fans praised the ABC online for the way the breakfast presenters handled the situation.